Report: Nottingham Forest and Southampton eyeing £20m PL talent likened to David Silva

Nottingham Forest and Southampton are currently at opposite ends of the Premier League table, but both have set their sights on one of England’s most exciting young midfielders.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s Reds have had a brilliant start to the season, sitting fifth in the table, while Russell Martin’s Saints are at the bottom of the standings.

With the January transfer window now on the horizon, Forest could well look to bring in reinforcements in order to maintain their momentum near the top.

As for Southampton, they will surely look at bolstering their ranks in pursuit of Premier League survival.

According to reports, Forest and Southampton are among a group of top-flight clubs looking at a 22-year-old player who has been likened to David Silva.

READ MORE: ‘Special’ player has decided that he does not want to sign for Nottingham Forest in January

Nottingham Forest and Southampton eyeing Manchester City’s James McAtee

CaughtOffside have reported that Forest and Southampton have set their sights on Manchester City talent James McAtee.

However, they are not alone in their interest. The likes of West Ham United, Leicester City, Leeds United and Celtic are reportedly all in pursuit too.

In addition, McAtee is apparently wanted by teams from the continent, with the likes of Lille, Feyenoord, Stuttgart and Girona also monitoring developments.

Who is Forest and Southampton target James McAtee?

McAtee has come through the ranks at Man City and made his debut in 2021, though he has only clocked up 13 competitive appearances for the club overall.

The 22-year-old took in two loans at Sheffield United in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, making 75 outings and registering 14 goals and eight assists.

Since returning to the Etihad, McAtee has struggled to force his way into Pep Guardiola’s plans, with just six appearances and 311 minutes of club football to his name this term.

Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig likened McAtee to James Rodriguez in 2021, while The Sun reported that the £20million-rated Man City man has been compared to David Silva.

McAtee’s contract runs until the summer of 2026, so Man City will need to decide soon what to do with him before he enters the last 18 months of his deal.